Sermon Tone Analysis

The Truth is in Jesus

Living the New Life - Part IV

August 12, 2007

“And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ.

He is the true God and eternal life” 1 John 5:20

1.

In Matthew 17:5 we receive a message from God the Father about God the Son that says “behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.”

2. Just so there is no confusion about what truth is Jesus said in John 14:6, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life.

No one comes to the Father except through me.”

3.

In John 17:17 we see as Jesus prays His high priestly prayer for you and me he says “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.”

4. So when we look at the phrase in Eph 4:21 “heard about him” it is literally translated “heard him,” referring to the individual’s hearing the call to salvation and responding.

5.

This only happened because they had been taught in him by those who shared the gospel in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus.

After having heard his doctrine preached by us outwardly, and have been taught by him, inwardly and effectually, by his Spirit.

We can say that “Christ is the lesson, we must learn Christ: and Christ is the teacher, we are taught by him.

As the truth is only in Jesus.”

6.

This may be understood as, "You have been taught the real truth, as held forth by Christ himself, both in his doctrine and in his life.’’

We might say that Jesus is the school, as well as the teacher and the subject of instruction.

7. Life without God leads to denial about an absolute truth.

The ungodly person may ask rhetorically with Pilate, “ What is truth?

” (John 18:38), but he expects no satisfactory answer.

8.

The Christian, however, can say, “The truth of Christ is in me” (2 Cor.

11:10) and “We know that the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding, in order that we might know Him who is true, and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ” (1 John 5:20).

9. However not every one understands the truth.

John 8:43-47 Jesus says “Why do you not understand what I say?

It is because you cannot bear to hear my word.

You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires.

He was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him.

When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me.

Which one of you convicts me of sin?

If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me?

Whoever is of God hears the words of God.

The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.”

10.

Jesus also says in John 10:26-28 “but you do not believe because you are not part of my flock.

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.

I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.”

11.

In Acts 3:22-23 we read in reference to Jesus where Moses said, ‘The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers.

You shall listen to him in whatever he tells you.

And it shall be that every soul who does not listen to that prophet shall be destroyed from the people’

12.

And as the Holy Spirit says, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion” (Heb 3:7-8a).

Revenge of the Cradle

Well doth David call children "arrows"; for if they be well bred, they shoot at their parents' enemies; and if they be evil bred, they shoot at their parents.

- Henry Smith

Perfection

Have we ever seen holier men than the martyred John Bradford, or Hooker, or Usher, or Baxter, or Rutherford, or M'Cheyne?

Yet no one can read the writings and letters of these men without seeing that they felt themselves "debtors to mercy and grace" every day, and the very last thing they ever laid claim to was perfection! — J.C. Ryle

GracePointe Baptist Church

2209 N Post Road

Oklahoma City, OK 73141

Phone: (405) 769-5050

http://www.gracepointeonline.com